CrimeFeb 27, 2026
Man Charged in Murders of Father, Son Jewelers in ChicagoChicago police and members of the U.S. Marshals Service tracked down the 35-year-old suspect earlier this week in St. Louis.
EditorsSep 17, 2018
Is De Beers’ Lab-Grown Line a Fit for Signet?
Signet CEO Gina Drosos recently indicated the retailer would be open to carrying fashion jewelry set with man-made stones. Will Lightbox be the line for them?
A sampling of jewelry from Lightbox, De Beers’ line of fashion jewelry set with man-made diamonds. There is speculation in the market that Signet Jewelers, owner of Kay, Jared and Zales stores, might be in line to carry the collection.
Signet Jewelers CEO Gina Drosos made an intriguing statement toward the end of the company’s second quarter earnings call last month in response to a question from Needham & Co. analyst Rick Patel.
Patel noted that Signet is carrying an increasing number of pieces of jewelry set with lab-grown sapphires and rubies, and he asked if the retailer had plans to expand into man-made diamonds.
Signet, as has been well documented, has chosen not to carry any lab-grown diamond jewelry up until this point, even as more and more jewelry retailers—Helzberg, Reeds, Robbins Brothers, Borsheims and Amazon among them—have gotten on board with the category.
On the August earnings call, however, the retail CEO suggested that Signet might be open to man-made diamonds as long as they are not set in engagement rings.
I paraphrased Drosos’ words in my story reporting on Signet’s second quarter results. Below is her full statement, as included in the official transcript of the call.
“We have a very ‘customer first’ mindset on [lab-grown diamonds]. And we want to focus on delivering the products and experiences that customers want. So we are very closely monitoring and assessing the demand for this emerging category. What our research shows is that customers prefer natural diamonds for those really important purchases, bridal purchase, special birthday, graduations, those kinds of things. But there could be some growing interest in the fashion jewelry space for synthetic diamonds. So we’ll make sure that Signet is well positioned to participate in that space if the growth and the economics of it are attractive and if customers point us in that direction.”Drosos’ comments shook me out of my early-morning earnings call coma and immediately brought to mind another company’s stance on lab-grown diamonds: De Beers.
As I’m sure you have not forgotten, earlier this
year De Beers announced it would begin selling a line of fashion jewelry set with man-made pink, blue and white diamonds, online direct to consumers at first and then in select stores.
The company’s approach toward the line is to sell man-made stones cheap and market them for special but not-too-special occasions, keeping consumers focused on mined diamonds for their engagement rings and major anniversaries. They are, as one De Beers executive put it a Las Vegas lunch event introducing the line, for “friends, not fiancées.”
So it would seem that Drosos and De Beers have the same stance on where lab-grown diamonds belong on the consumer end of the market. And the two companies are already fairly closely aligned. The jeweler has been a De Beers sightholder since 2014, and it cuts and polishes its diamonds in one of the African countries where De Beers mines.
Signet was the first retailer tapped to participate in Tracr, De Beers’ blockchain program. It also is worth mentioning that Signet has a new concept store opening this fall, a millennial- and tech-focused store that will operate under the James Allen banner (and might be in line for fresh product that’s not carried in any other Signet stores.)
A line like Lightbox would also gel with Drosos’ long-term vision for the retailer, which includes stocking more fashion jewelry that appeals to women who are buying for themselves and, as she noted in her speech at JCK Las Vegas, “put[ting] jewelry at the forefront of our customers’ minds for many more occasions,” meaning birthdays and graduations, not just engagements.
A week after Signet announced its second quarter results and Drosos made her remarks about lab-grown diamonds, Rapaport’s website, Diamonds.net, ran a short news item that stated there is “growing speculation” that Signet might carry Lightbox.
For now, however, both parties are neither denying nor confirming the rumors.
De Beers, which is set to start selling Lightbox online later this month, said it hasn’t selected the retailers that will carry its lab-grown line yet, while Signet gave a classic corporate response when asked about Lightbox: “It’s our policy not to comment on market speculation.”
The company’s approach toward the line is to sell man-made stones cheap and market them for special but not-too-special occasions, keeping consumers focused on mined diamonds for their engagement rings and major anniversaries. They are, as one De Beers executive put it a Las Vegas lunch event introducing the line, for “friends, not fiancées.”
So it would seem that Drosos and De Beers have the same stance on where lab-grown diamonds belong on the consumer end of the market. And the two companies are already fairly closely aligned. The jeweler has been a De Beers sightholder since 2014, and it cuts and polishes its diamonds in one of the African countries where De Beers mines.
Signet was the first retailer tapped to participate in Tracr, De Beers’ blockchain program. It also is worth mentioning that Signet has a new concept store opening this fall, a millennial- and tech-focused store that will operate under the James Allen banner (and might be in line for fresh product that’s not carried in any other Signet stores.)
A line like Lightbox would also gel with Drosos’ long-term vision for the retailer, which includes stocking more fashion jewelry that appeals to women who are buying for themselves and, as she noted in her speech at JCK Las Vegas, “put[ting] jewelry at the forefront of our customers’ minds for many more occasions,” meaning birthdays and graduations, not just engagements.
A week after Signet announced its second quarter results and Drosos made her remarks about lab-grown diamonds, Rapaport’s website, Diamonds.net, ran a short news item that stated there is “growing speculation” that Signet might carry Lightbox.
For now, however, both parties are neither denying nor confirming the rumors.
De Beers, which is set to start selling Lightbox online later this month, said it hasn’t selected the retailers that will carry its lab-grown line yet, while Signet gave a classic corporate response when asked about Lightbox: “It’s our policy not to comment on market speculation.”
More on Editors
The Latest
SourcingFeb 27, 2026
South African Diamond Mine Closes Amid Search for Missing WorkersOwners of the Ekapa Mine reportedly filed for liquidation about a week after a mudslide trapped five workers who have yet to be found.
MajorsFeb 27, 2026
Jewelers Mutual to Donate $10M to Savannah College of Art and DesignA 10-year alliance has also begun to address the shortage of bench jewelers through scholarships, enhanced programs, and updated equipment.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
CollectionsFeb 27, 2026
Renato Cipullo Turns Gold into HardstonesThe “Splendente” collection has evolved to feature hardstone letter pendants, including our Piece of the Week, the onyx “R.”
Weekly QuizFeb 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsFeb 26, 2026
Noonans to Auction Lady Wardington’s JewelryThe jewelry collection belonged to “one of society's most glamorous and beautiful women of the mid-20th century,” said the auction house.
SourcingFeb 26, 2026
Anglo American CEO Gives Insight Into De Beers SaleThe update came as Anglo took its third write-down on the diamond miner and marketer, which lost more than $500 million in 2025.
Brought to you by
DCA Enters a New Chapter in Jewelry EducationWith refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.
ColumnistsFeb 26, 2026
Practical Ways Jewelers Can Leverage AI in 2026Emmanuel Raheb discusses the rise of “GEO” and the importance of having well-written, quality content on your website.
CrimeFeb 26, 2026
Three Sentenced in California Jewelry HeistEach received around four years for burglarizing a jewelry store and a coffee shop in Simi Valley, California, last May.
Events & AwardsFeb 26, 2026
GIA Names 2026 Jewelry Design Contest Winner, Retires Annual AwardCatherine Aulick, a GIA graduate, received the ninth and final Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design.
TrendsFeb 25, 2026
Engagement Ring Trends 2026: What’s In, and WhyWe asked a jewelry historian, designer, bridal director, and wedding expert what’s trending in engagement rings. Here’s what they said.
SourcingFeb 25, 2026
7 Trends That Could Define the Diamond Industry’s FutureExperts from India weigh in the politics, policies, and market dynamics for diamantaires to monitor in 2026 and beyond.
PodcastsFeb 25, 2026
Episode 2: Jewelry Trends & Does the Red Carpet Matter?Are arm bands poised to make a comeback? Has red-carpet jewelry become boring? Find out on the second episode of the “My Next Question” podcast.
WatchesFeb 25, 2026
Private Equity Firms Write Down Value of Breitling, Report SaysThe Swiss watchmaker is battling declining sales amid a rapid retail expansion, according to a Financial Times report.
CollectionsFeb 25, 2026
Rahaminov Diamonds’ New Campaign Honors Its MatriarchThe campaign celebrates Giustina Pavanello Rahaminov, the co-founder’s wife and matriarch of the family-owned brand, for her 88th birthday.
IndependentsFeb 25, 2026
Borsheims Names 2025 ‘Ike-It’ Award WinnerRachel Bennett, a senior jeweler who has been with Borsheims since 2004, earned the award.
Policies & IssuesFeb 24, 2026
IEEPA Tariffs Terminated, New 10% Tariff Already ImposedAfter the Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs, President Trump imposed a 10 percent tax on almost all imports via a different law.
IndependentsFeb 24, 2026
Sherry Smith Now Principal Partner at The Retail SmithsThe industry veteran, who was with The Edge Retail Academy for 14 years, joins her husband at the company he founded in 2022.
IndependentsFeb 24, 2026
Yafa Signed Jewels to Open Store in MiamiThe vintage signed jewelry retailer chose Miami due to growing client demand in the city and the greater Latin American region.
WatchesFeb 24, 2026
Chrono24 Names New VP, U.S. General ManagerFormer Flight Club executive Jin Lee will bring his experience from the sneaker world to the pre-owned watch marketplace.
SourcingFeb 23, 2026
Designer Eddie Sakamoto, a Humble Artist, Dies at 72Sakamoto, who died in mid-January following a sudden illness, is remembered for his humility and his masterful, architectural designs.
Events & AwardsFeb 23, 2026
NYCJAOS Announces Four-Day Spring ShowThe April event will feature a new VIP shopping day requiring a special ticket.
TrendsFeb 23, 2026
Dua Lipa Is Bulgari’s New AmbassadorBulgari chose the British-Albanian singer-songwriter for her powerful and enduring voice in contemporary culture, the jeweler said.
Policies & IssuesFeb 20, 2026
Supreme Court Rules Against Most of President Trump’s TariffsIn a 6-3 ruling, the court said the president exceeded his authority when imposing sweeping tariffs under IEEPA.
ColumnistsFeb 20, 2026
Peter Smith: Happiness, Cavemen, and Jewelry SalesSmith encourages salespeople to ask customers questions that elicit the release of oxytocin, the brain’s “feel-good” chemical.
MajorsFeb 20, 2026
Jewelers Vigilance Committee Names Julie Yoakum Board ChairJVC also announced the election of five new board members.
